The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1927, Page 44

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44

THE LUTHERAN PIONEER.

as dark, because of his relationship to the dark
“Destroyer Time.” His throat is painted blue, to
represent the deadly poison which would have
destroyed all humanity had he not drunk it.

He is supposed to ride a white bull, called Nandi,
of which a representation may be found on the
handles of bells used to awaken gods from their
slumbers when the worshiper desires their help.
He is also the god of battle, of warfare and destruc-
tion, and so we find him armed with a trident, a
bow, a thunderbolt, an ax, and a noose. Sometimes
he is a sedate and most sober philosopher or an
ascetic, while at other times he is a dancer or
hunter or a worker of miracles. Such is the many-
sided Siva. 2

Vishnu is the second member of the Hindu
triad. The emblems worn by the Vaishnavites, or
followers of Vishnu, are also quite numerous.
Many of them wear the discus, which looks much

he holds a symbol —a discus, a conch-shell, a club,
and a lotus flower. The discus represents the missile
the god hurls at the demons who plot evil against
the gods and men. The conch-shell he blows in
battle to encourage his own and fill the enemy with
terror. The club is his weapon in battle. From one
of Vishnu’s feet the River Ganges is supposed to
issue forth. In its course the Ganges strikes Siva’s
head and in doing so is prevented from doing much
damage in its fall.

Some of the incarnations of Vishnu we have
already mentioned, for instance, as Rama and
Krishna. Other incarnations are: in the form of a
fish, a tortoise, a lion, a bear, a dwarf, as Buddha
and as Kalki. Vishnu’s incarnation as Kalki is
still to be looked for. It will occur in the evil age,
Kali, when the world will have wholly sunk in
depravity. Then Vishnu as Kalki will appear in
the heavens, riding a white horse and waving aloft

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like a cartwheel (Fig. 7). Other followers of
Vishnu have as their emblem the calyx and leaf of
the sacred lotus (Fig.8). Other symbols used by
the Vaishnavites are the inverted lotus leaf and the
conch, and these emblems are at times worn on the
bodies instead of on the foreheads. A representa-
tion of the sole of Vishnu’s right foot is now and

then drawn between the eyes, with a red dot, the

emblem of Vishnu’s consort Lakshmi (Tig. 9).
Fig. 10 shows a somewhat complicated mark. It has
the general appearance of a trident. The two outer
prongs are supposed to represent Vishnu’s feet,
while the red mark between the prongs stands for
Lakshmi, his wife. Some of the marks worn by
Hindus unite the fire symbol of Siva and the discus
symbol of Vishnu (Figs. 11—14). These marks
are then worn-by the followers of either god.
Vishnu seems to be less human and harder to
approach than Siva. On-the human side Vishnu
and Lakshmi are represented by such heroes and
heroines as Rama and Krishna, Sita and Rukmini.
Vishnu is supposed to have four arms, and in each

a blazing sword, for the redemption of the good and
the destruction of the wicked.

Not all Hindus wear these distinguishing marks,
generally only the more zealous ones. ‘The more
orthodox a man is, the more likely will he keep the
distinctive mark of his sect fresh on his forehead.

In conclusion let us add that these marks are
made of ashes from the sacrifices, burnt cow-dung,
paste made of sandal-wood, or turmeric steeped in
a mixture of juice and niter. They are put on
by hand or by means of a stamp.

Adapted by F. J. L.

SaaS ae

A Chief by Superstition.

Back in the bush of Australia there are certain
aborigines who believe that after the black man dies,
he will rise again some day as a white man. Any
one can see what an advantage this curious belief
gave the white man when he first entered those parts
of the country. None of the aborigines could know